Jello5700 Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 Taken on 3/3 central Indiana. Just making sure since this is this first time I've seen one in my home county and only my 4-5 ever overall. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cavan wood Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 Looks good for greater. Scott Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobinHood Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 I would have said Lesser for all of them based on head profiles, but always a tough call. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IvoryBillHope Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 Just to be clear, the only scaup is in the bottom left of first photo, others are Redheads and Ring-necked Ducks. I would lean towards Lesser based on head shape. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Landon Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 (edited) If they are still around, the females are easier to differentiate between Greater and Lesser. Female lessers have a crisp white facial mask versus a mangy ,blotchy mask on the greater.Unlees you have great light conditions, head color is tough to determine from any distance, as you already know.Head shape,round =Greater, peaked and blocky =Lesser.here in ohio, both have started showing up in numbers in the past 2 weeks. Flank whiteness can be deceiving as young drake Greaters can appear dirty also Edited March 4, 2019 by John Landon 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 49 minutes ago, John Landon said: Female lessers have a crisp white facial mask versus a mangy ,blotchy mask on the greater. I learned something today. Can I go home now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IvoryBillHope Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 I would caution using the patterning of white on the face to identify female scaup. That feature is variable and there's plenty of overlap. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Landon Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 So while school is in, head shape is a definite point to key on,while flank degree of whiteness,head color, female mask are all variable and subject to maturity and possible interbreeding. At one time, I thought one species was more fond of salt or brackish waters than the other.? Lesser hen,angular head taken last year about this time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Spencer Posted March 4, 2019 Share Posted March 4, 2019 3 hours ago, John Landon said: At one time, I thought one species was more fond of salt or brackish waters than the other.? I recall reading somewhere (NatGeo? AAB?) that Lessers are rarely on salt water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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